It’s called finding favor before men…of God literally changing attitudes of our enemies. In Ezra 6:22 the Lord changed the heart and mind of their enemy, the King of Assyria, so that he not only supported and encouraged the Israelite’s work, but assisted in it. And when Joseph was wrongly thrown into prison, it says in Genesis 39:21 that the Lord was with him, showing him kindness and granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. The Lord can move hearts and extend His good favor to us by anyone…including our enemies.
Tag: daily devotions
Ephesians 3:12 ” In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
Imagine, if you will, this picture. You are on one side of this deep abyss, and God is on the other, and there is no physical way for you to get across to Him. But now imagine a bridge spanning between the two sides so that you may reach God. The Cross of Jesus is that bridge, giving all of us access to God the Father. For it is only by the saving faith of Jesus we can approach the Throne of grace with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16) But we must continue to hold firmly to our trust in Jesus Christ…”so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” (I John 2:28)
Romans 14:10 ” You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”
I may not think I do, but I judge people all the time. It’s our human nature to discriminate between good and bad…but most times it’s more subjective than objective! For we usually judge someone according to our own personal preferences, upbringing, and mores… rather than assessing them impartially through eyes of mercy and love. The Bible tells us there is only One that can judge, and we know we have a righteous and just God that is more than capable…and doesn’t need our help!
I Corinthians 13:12 ” Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Now, we can barely distinguish the outer fringe of God’s works…so faint the whisper we hear of Him. For God’s greatness is beyond our understanding. (Job 26:14 & Job 36:26) But then, we will see God…with our own eyes we will see Him, and we know that when He appears, we’ll be like Him, for we’ll see Him as He is. (I John 3:2) Now, God’s magnificence hasn’t yet been made known to us, but then, we will stand face to face, gazing into His glory…and all things will become clear.
Proverbs 8:4-5 ” To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.”
These verses are Wisdom’s call to all of humanity…with the basic purpose of wisdom described in Proverbs 1:4-5, “For giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” But why do we need wisdom? Simple, because our hearts can be easily deceived, and a deluded heart will certainly mislead us.(Isaiah 44:20) So how do we start to obtain wisdom? Easy, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” And James 1:5 goes on to add, “If any of you lack wisdom ask, for the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” Wisdom is calling today, and if you’re like me, you could definitely use an extra measure of insight, discernment, and common sense in order to navigate through the mountains of information we’re being bombarded with right now.
Psalm 33:4 ” For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.”
This morning I was reading a very insightful blog from a dear friend about truth. Her Website is called Cantstealmyjoy.com by author Bekah Bowman, and the title of the blog was “Put on Truth.” But how difficult has it become now a days to discern truth, especially in these past chaotic months of the COVID 19 pandemic and world-wide protests? The voices are very loud, coming at us from all sides, each claiming to hold the truth…but who do we believe? As Bekah’s blog points out, we need to go back to the foundational truths of God, and that means getting back into His word. For without knowing His revealed word, we are left open and vulnerable to confusion and deception. But when we have a solid knowledge of God’s word, the outside noise isn’t nearly as loud, for we have the certainty and trustworthiness of the emphatic word of God to guide us. Or as Psalm 25:10 says, “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant.” So, if you’re searching for the truth today amidst all those voices vying for your attention… first start in the bedrock of God’s word, the Bible, to learn for yourself what is genuine and true.
Philippians 1:3-4 ” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…”
Maybe this has happened to you. The Lord lays someone on your heart, and you’re like, where did they come from? But the Lord persists, so you call them up and they tell you they had just asked God to send someone to help them. Think about it…by being obedient, you have become an instrument in God’s hand to answer that person’s prayer. That’s because there’s nothing as sweet as hearing someone say, “I prayed for you today.” So when God brings someone to mind, pray with gratitude and gladness for them…but follow it up with a phone call in order that you may encourage and uplift their spirit with the simple words, “I remembered you in my prayers today.”
Psalm 84:10 ” Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
The Writer of this Psalm had made a well thought out choice…a choice that had eternal consequences attached to it. I choose Godliness over godlessness, righteousness over lawlessness, and selflessness over selfishness. But too many Christians today want it both ways. It’s called being double-minded or lukewarm Christianity…of embracing equally the ways of God and the ways of the world. But we can’t have it both ways, for II Timothy 3:1-5 warns us, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power.” We can no longer get away with just having the “appearance” of being a Christian…choices need to be made.
Jeremiah 18:6 ” ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.’ “
This verse is a very vivid reminder of God’s sovereignty over man. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Woe to him who quarrels (or complains) with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among potsherds on the ground. (Isaiah 45:9) Well, that kinda puts us in our place doesn’t it?! God is the potter and we are the clay…it’s as simple as that, but we humans don’t take kindly to being told what to do by anyone in authority, let alone God. Our rebellious spirit bristles at God’s perceived supreme power over us. But in Romans 9:20, Paul asks in amazement, “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, Why did You make me like this?” We are like clay in the hand of the Master potter…and He will fashion us as He sees fit…His Will and Way always prevailing.
Jeremiah 1:11 ” The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ “
Many times throughout the Old Testament the Lord would ask this question of the prophets. Besides Jeremiah, the Lord asked Amos and Zechariah the same question…”What do you see?” Now in front of them were easily recognizable objects such as a almond branch, a boiling pot, a plumb line, or a basket of ripe fruit. But it wasn’t until the Lord explained the meaning and symbolism and pulled back the veil to reveal the true interpretation of the object, that the men were enlightened to the astonishing disclosure. Even today the Lord may show you something and ask, “What do you see?” That’s when you start with the simple answer and ask Him to show you the deeper meaning… or His perspective and vision.
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